Method and device for pictorial representation of space-related data

ABSTRACT

A method and device for the pictorial representation of space-related data, for example, geographical data of the earth. Such methods are used for visualising visualizing topographical or meteorological data in the form of weather maps or weather forecast films. Further fields of application are found in tourism, in traffic control, in navigation aids and also in studio technology. The space-related data, for example topography, actual cloud distribution, configurations of roads, rivers or frontiers, satellite images, actual temperatures, historical views, CAD-models, actual camera shots, are called up, stored or generated in a spatially distributed fashion. For a screen representation of a view of the object according to a field of view of a virtual observer, the required data are called up and shown only in the resolution required for each individual section of the image. The sub-division of the image into sections with different spatial resolutions is preferably effected according to the method of a binary or quadrant tree.

The invention relates to a method and a device for pictorialrepresentation of space-related data, particularly geographical data offlat or physical objects. Such methods are used for example forvisualising visualizing topographic or meteorological data in the formof weather maps or weather forecast films. Further fields of applicationarise from tourism, in traffic control, as navigation aids and in studiotechnology.

Representations of geographical information are generated according toprior art by using a so-called paintbox. The latter generates from givengeographical information maps of a desired area, which are thenselectably altered, and for example can be coloured or emphasisedcolored or emphasized according to states, or even represented in analtered projection.

Another system for generating views of a topography is found in theknown flight simulator simulators. In this case, starting from afictitious observation point from the cockpit of an aircraft, a view ofthe surroundings is generated.

Electronic maps, such as are marketed today on CD-ROM memories, ornavigation systems in terrestrial vehicles, likewise generate from afixed databases a diagrammatic vies view of the geography of a desiredarea. These systems however do not have the capacity for representingvarious views of the area, but are restricted to mapping topographicalfeatures such as the configuration of roads, railway lines or rivers.

All the names named methods and devices for visualising visualizinggeographical data utilise utilize fixed data sets in order to generatethe desired images. The resolution of the representation is thereforelimited to the resolution of the data sets stored in a memory unit.Further, only those space-related data can be observed which areprovided in the respective data bank. Thus it is not for examplepossible to provide representations which have been generated on thebasis of electronically stored maps in navigation systems with theactual cloud distribution over this area. On the other hand, flightsimulators, due to the limited availability of memory space, are limitedto representing narrowly defined areas with a pre-fixed resolution.

As representations from the previously known system are based on a fixedset of memorised stored data and therefore the space-related data cannotbe stored at any optional resolution, none of the present systems iscapable of representing different space information as desired with anyresolution and at the same time incorporating actual information intothe representation.

Due to the large quantities of data to be processed in the systemsaccording to prior art, the generation of an image is either extremelycostly in time, or is limited to the representation of restrictedinformation. Consequently it is not possible with the previously knownsystems to provide an image generation rate which is sufficient uponalteration of the location or of the direction of view of the observerto provide the impression of a continuous movement of that observer.

The object of the present invention is to make available a method and adevice for representing space-related data which enables enable the datato be represented in any pre-selected image resolution in the way inwhich the object has would have been seen by an observer with aselectable location and selectable direction of view. A further objectof the invention is to keep the outlay effort required for generating animage so low that the image generation takes place so rapidly that uponalteration of the location and/or of the direction of view of theobserver, the impression of continuos continuous movement above theobject arises.

This object isThese objects are achieved by the method according to theinvention in the preamble in conjunction with thecharacterisingcharacterizing features of claim 1, and by thecorresponding device.

In the method according to the invention the space-related data arecalled up, stored and/or generated in spatially distributed datasources. These data sources include for example data memories and/orother data sources which call up and/or generate space-related data. Theportion of the object to be observed, the field of view, is determinedfrom the selected location and the selected direction of view of theobserver. Then a first data set, which has a coarse spatial resolution,is called up from at least one of the spatially distributed datasources, transmitted and centrally stored, and the field of view isshown. If the resolution of the representation is below the desiredimage resolution, the field of view is divided into sections and aninvestigation is undertaken for each individual section to see whetherthe data within the section are sufficient for a representation with thedesired image resolution. If this is not the case for one of thesections, further data with a finer resolution are called up,transmitted and centrally stored from at least one of the spatiallydistributed data sources, and the section is shown with the new data. Inturn an investigation is carried out into a check for sufficient imageresolution and possibly a further sub-division of the tested section iscarried out into further partial sections is performed as describedabove. If the entire representation has the desired image resolution orif in the spatially distributed data sources no further data of a higherresolution are present, then the method is terminated.

The device according to the invention for carrying out this methodaccordingly comprises a display unit and an input unit for the locationand the direction of view of the observer. The device according to theinvention further has a plurality of spatially distributed data sources,a central data memory, and a data transmission network between these andthe an evaluation unit, in order to determine the representation of thedata on the display unit from the centrally stored data.

In comparison to previous systems, the method according to the inventionhas considerable advantages. By virtue of the fact that the data arecalled up, generated and/or stored in a spatially distributed manner,the magnitude of the available database is not limited by the size ofthe central data memory. In principle the amount of available data inthe method according to the invention is therefore not limited, and canbe extended at will. The access speed to the spatially distributed datais thus to a large extent independent of the size of the database.

In particular, due to the spatially distributed call-up and storage ofthe data, servicing and updating of the database can be effected in adistributed manner and preferably in the vicinity of the spatial areawhich is represented by the data which are called up and/or stored in aspatially distributed manner.

Representation of the field of view requires in the individual areas ofthe field of view different spatial resolutions of the data, for exampledepending on whether a portion of the field of view is in the immediatevicinity of the observer or at a great distance therefrom.

The method according to the invention leads to a situation in which thedata for the field of view to be shown are called up from the spatiallydistributed data sources only in the accuracy necessary forrepresentation of the field of view with the desired image resolution,i.e. for example with high spatial resolution for close areas of thefield of view or in low spatial resolution in a view to the horizon of aspherical object. The number amount of data necessary for representationof the field of view and thus to be stored centrally is in principledetermined by the image resolution selected and is thus substantiallyconstant for each image. This applies for example independently ofwhether the observer is at a great distance from the object or directlybeside it and whether the observer is looking frontally on to the objector in the direction of the horizon. Therefore, the outlay effortrequired for data transmission for representing the various fields ofview is to a large extent constant and restricted.

Furthermore, by means of the number, reduced to a minimum, amount ofdata to be centrally stored being reduced to a minimum as a result ofthe method according to the invention, the memory requirement andcomputer time for generating the pictorial representation is greatlyreduced, so that an extremely rapid image build-up becomes possible.

Advantageous further developments of the method according to theinvention and of the device according to the invention are given in thedependent Claims.

If a change in the location or of the direction of view of the observeris input, thus the field of view also changes. Immediately after thisalteration in field of view, the method according to the invention canbe restarted. In this way it is possible to generate a representationwhich corresponds to the impression of a moving observer. This can forexample be used for setting up a flight simulator.

After each transmission and central storage of data, an imagerepresentation results, even if the data are insufficient to makepossible the desired image resolution. As a result, even if the methodis interrupted due to an alteration in the field of view and newly begunfor a new field of view, the data for an image, even at low resolution,are always available. Thus if the observer moves extremely rapidly, thecase is avoided in which no further image is shown.

Thus the observer is not limited as regards to his travelling speed andyet it is ensured that an image is always shown.

It is particularly advantageous if the same number amount of data, i.e.data with the same uniform resolution, are basically also always calledup for a section. Due In this way, due to the division and thusreduction in size of the sections during the method according to theinvention, in this way continuous refinement of the data during thecourse of the method according to the invention is achieved.

After alteration in the field of view, in order to reduce the centralstorage requirement, the high-resolution data no longer required can beremoved from the central memory. If however a data set with coarseresolution which represents the entire object is permanently retained inthe central memory, the representation can be improved with rapidalterations in field of view.

For objects to be viewed in the plane, the binary or the quadrant treeis suitable as a sub-division method for the field of view, while forobjects, whose three-dimensional extension must be taken into account,an octant tree is particularly suitable.

By means of this sub-division according to a fixed scheme, each sectionof the object can be given a fixed address, the address of a sectionarising for example from the address of the master section, to whichthere is added for the sub-sections a further numeral, for example 0, 1,2 and 3 for each of the four sub-sections of the quadrant tree, or thenumerals 0 to 7 for each of the sub-sections of an octant tree. With apermanently constant number of data per section, the number of points ina section address at the same time determines the spatial resolutionlevel of the data.

These sub-dividing processes can also be used along with one another,such an adaptive sub-division process being particularly suitable forspherical objects, whose surface is imaged two-dimensionally. In theplanar representation of a spherical surface, for example at the poles,the sphere can transfer from a quadrant tree to a binary tree.

Particularly suitable as objects are heavenly bodies such as the planetsof the solar system, whose topography can be represented. Furtherspace-related data of such objects include among other thingsmeteorological or geological information, for example clouddistributions, political, economic and social data and in particularcolour color information relating to the appearance of the heavenlybodies, as obtained for example for the earth from satellite images andfor other planets, from images from space probes.

Consequently, any further geographically related data can berepresented. The representation may in this case be carried out bothaccording to cartographic points of view or also as a globe.

In order to provide pictorial representation of the surface of physicalobjects, two-dimensional representations are particularly suitable, asdue to the reduction in the number of dimensions from three to two thenumber of co-ordinates to be processed and the data to be loaded isconsiderably reduced and thus the power of the method according to theinvention and of the device according to the invention, for example theimage repetition rate during rapid movements of the observer, isimproved. Such a representation in particular is sufficient when theimages are shown on a two-dimensional screen or another two-dimensionalmedium.

In order also to display three-dimensional information intwo-dimensional images, the two-dimensional basic layer may besupplemented with other two-dimensional layers, upon which the furtherinformation is displayed.

Particularly suitable as a model for two-dimensional imaging of thesurface of physical bodies is a geometric model in which the surface issub-divided into polygons. In the topographic grid model the polygongrid imitates the topography of the surface. By means of this displaythe provision of the two co-ordinates of a grid point is sufficient toproduce a spatial relationship between various data and the surface ofthe object displayed.

The data are now displayed on the background of this grid. Particularlysimple is the display of height information by the application ofvarious colours colors (colour color vertices). Satellite images orinformation on cloud formations can also be laid over this grid(texturising texturizing). If the grid is not equidistant but appliedwith different sizes of grid squares, (adaptive grids) then it ispossible hetter to resolve and display specific areas such, like, forexample, areas with intense height alterations with better resolution.

The spatially distributed raised and/or stored data of the spatiallydistributed data sources can be provided at the points of their raisingand/or storage with references, which indicate the storage points fordata of adjacent areas or further data on the same area. If such links(hyperlinks) of the spatially distributed data exist between oneanother, the central system requires no knowledge of the exact spatialstorage points for all data of the object, as it is linked, originatingfrom one of the spatially distributed stores, to the further data.

In principle, the location and the direction of view of the observer isnot limited. Consequently the observer can move from a view withextremely limited resolution, e.g. the earth from space, to a view ofindividual atoms. The range of spatial resolutions covers many orders ofmagnitude. In order to enable any resolutions also with while also usingevaluating devices which operate internally with a limited numericalprecision, for example with computers with an address space limited to32 bits and/or floating-point view limited to 32 bits for numbers, afteran alteration in the location and of the angle of view of the observer,the data are converted to a new co-ordinate system with a newco-ordinate origin. During a continuous movement of the observertherefore the co-ordinates of the data are constantly subjected toco-ordinate transformation.

If the data of areas adjoining the field of view are permanentlycentrally stored in a higher resolution, or if a probability assessmentis carried out for a future alteration in the field of view, and thedata of the areas with the highest probability are previously called up,transmitted and centrally stored, the representation can be acceleratedwith the desired image resolution upon a rapid alteration in the fieldof view.

The data illustrated by the method according to the invention, inaddition to data of real properties of the system observed, can alsocontain models, for example CAD models of buildings, or animatedobjects. The representation of spatially related data, for exampletemperature measurement values, can also be effected by display tablesinserted into the illustration. Furthermore, it is possible to move fromillustrated space related spatially distributed stored data to therepresentation of directly generated material. Thus for example, insteadof showing spatially distributed stored satellite images of the earth,direct camera images from a satellite can be shown, or instead of theillustration of a public place, images of the place generated by arunning camera can be shown. In this case the satellite represents oneof the spatially distributed data sources.

For data transmission from the spatially distributed data sources to thecentral memory, asynchronous transmission methods are suitable. becauseof their high data transmission rate in particular.

Embodiments of the method according to the invention and of the deviceaccording to the invention are given by way of example in the following:

FIG. 1: a structure of a device according to the invention;

FIG. 2: a device according to the invention;

FIG. 3: a diagram of the sub-division of the field of view in twosections according to the model of a quadrant tree the categorization ofthe field of view into different detail levels;

FIG. 4: a diagram of an adaptive sub-division of the field of view intoa binary or quadrant structure a diagram of the sub-division of thefield of view in two sections according to the model of a quadrant tree;

FIG. 5: a diagram of the sub-division of the field of view into sectionsaccording to the model of an octant tree a diagram of an adaptivesub-division of the field of view into a binary or quadrant structure;

FIG. 6: the interconnection of individual data sections by transversereferences a diagram of the sub-division of the field of view intosections according to the model of an octant tree;

FIG. 7: the categorisation of the field of view into different detaillevels the interconnection of individual data sections by transversereferences;

FIG. 8: a cartographic view of a cloud distribution on the earth;

FIG. 9: a view of a cloud distribution on the earth as a globe;

FIG. 10: a view of the earth as a globe with cloud distribution;

FIG. 11: a view of a portion of the earth with temperature indicatortables.

FIG. 1 shows the construction of a device according to the invention fordisplaying geographically related data of the earth. The devicecomprises a plurality of spatially distributed data sources 4, a datatransmission network, a plurality of devices 1, 2 and 3 as centralmemories, and devices for determining the display of the centrallystored space-related data (evaluation units), and a plurality of displayunit units 5. This device according to the invention makes it possiblefor a plurality of evaluation units 1, 2 and 3 simultaneously togetherto access the common spatially distributed data sources 4.

The data transmission device comprises a transmission network with lines6, 7 and 8. The network has various types of conduit. The conduits 6serve as a collecting network for transmitting data from the spatiallydistributed data sources 4. The conduits 7 serve as an interchangenetwork for rapid interchange of information between individual nodesand the conduits 8 serve as a supply network for supplying the screenview from the evaluation devices 1, 2 and 3 to the display unit 5.

The nodes are in turn sub-divided into primary nodes 1, secondary nodes2, and tertiary nodes 3. In this case a primary node is connected bothto the interchange network 7 and also via the conduits 6 directly to thespatially distributed data sources and by the conduit 8 directly withthe display unit 5. The secondary node 8 2 is connected only with theinterchange network 7 and directly via the conduits 8 with the displayunit 5. The tertiary node 3 has only one connection to the display unit5 and to the interchange network 7.

Systems of the company Silicon Graphics (SGI Onyx) were used as a nodecomputer. This computer is capable of displaying more than 5,00,000texturised texturized triangles per second and consequently is suitablefor rapid picture build-up. It operates with floating-point views with a32 bit representation. As this accuracy in the present example isinsufficient for example to follow a movement of an observer from spacecontinuously down to a centimetre centimeter resolution on the earth,the co-ordinates of the data during such a movement were continuouslyconverted to a new co-ordinate system with a coordinate origin locatedin the vicinity of the observer.

The geographical data required for the image are called up andtransmitted via the collecting network 6 from the spatially distributedmemories 4. The spatially distributed memories are preferably located inthe vicinity of the areas on the earth whose data they contain. In thisway the data are detected, stored and serviced at the point where aknowledge of the properties to be represented by the data, such forexample as such as, for example, topography, political or socialinformation, etc. is most precise. Further data sources are located atthe points where further data are detected or assembled, such forexample as such as, for example, meteorological research stations whichcollect and process information received from satellites.

A characteristic feature of the data flow in the collector network 6 isthat the data flow is in one direction. The Internet or ISDN lines wereused for this network.

The interchange network 7 serves to interchange data between individualnodes. By means of close-meshed connection of the individual nodes, thenetwork can be secured against the failure of individual conduits oragainst load peaks. As the interchange network 7 must guarantee a hightransmission rate in both directions, a permanent connection was usedhere with an asynchronous transmission protocol with a transmission ratewhich is greater than 35 MBit/s. Satellite connections are also suitablefor the interchange network 7.

In the supply network 8, substantially all of the image data requiredfor representation are transmitted to the display device 5. Consequentlya high data transmission rate of up to 2 MBit/s is required in thedirection of the display unit, which is enabled by intrinsicasynchronous connections or by bundling ISDN connections.

FIG. 2 shows two nodes connected by an interchange network 7, a primarynode 1 and a tertiary node 3. An input medium 10 for input of thelocation and the direction of view of the observer is connected via thesupply network 8 to the tertiary node 3. A collector network 6 and acamera 9, which can be controlled by the input medium 10, is connectedto the node computer 1. The input medium 10 comprised consists of athree-dimensional track ball in conjunction with a space-mouse with sixdegrees of freedom, in order to be able to alter both the location andthe direction of view of the observer. Automatic position-fixing systemscan also be considered as further input media, such as are used innavigation aids for motor vehicles or aircraft.

In this embodiment given by way of example, a two-dimensional polygongrid model is used to display the data, which serves as atwo-dimensional co-ordinate system for positioning the data. There wereused as data Data to be displayed includes, for example satelliteimages, i.e. information relating to the colouring coloring of the earthsurface or geopolitical data or actual or stored meteorological data.Images of the same point on the earth surface were may be shown atdifferent points in time, so that a type of “time journey” could may beproduced.

Data in tabular form, such for example as such as, for example,temperature information, were masked in as display tables into the view.For certain areas, CAD-models of buildings were available, which wereinserted into the view. Then the location of the observer could bedisplaced at will in these CAD-modelled CAD-modeled buildings.

Via position-fixing systems, symbols, for example for ships, aircraft ormotor vehicles, in their instantaneous geographical positions, can beinserted into this system and/or animated.

There was used, as a model for sub-dividing the field of view intosections and of these sections into further sections, a quadrant tree inwhich a progressive sub-division of an area into respectively foursections is carried out.

After selection of the earth as an object and input of a location and adirection of view in the final display device 5, the node 3 determinesthe field of view of the observer and calls up the data via theinterchange network 7 and the nodes 1 and 2. These nodes in turn callup, via the collecting network 6, from the spatially distributed datasources 4 or for example from the camera 9, the required data andtransmit them over the interchange network 7 to the node 3 for centralstorage. The node 3 determines the representation of the data centrallystored therein and sends this transmission for viewing over the supplynetwork 8 to the display device 5.

If the node 3 then ascertains that the required screen resolution hasnot been achieved with the centrally stored data, it divides the fieldof view according to the model of the quadrant tree into four sectionsand checks each section to see whether, by representation of the datacontained in the sections, the required image resolution has beenachieved. If the required image resolution is not achieved, the node 3calls up further data for this section. This method is repeated for eachsection until the required image resolution is achieved in the entireview. Call-up of the data is effected in this example always with thesame resolution of 128×128 points. Due to the sub-division of a sectioninto four respective sub-sections, therefore, in each data transmissiondata are loaded which have a spatial accuracy four times higher.

FIG. 3 shows diagrammatically the view of an object 18 by an observerwhose field of view is limited by the two lines 17. As the pictorialrepresentation remains the same, the required spatial resolution of thedata depends on its distance from the observer. For objects locateddirectly in front of the observer, data must be available with a greaterspatial resolution than for objects further removed, in order to reachthis image resolution.

FIG. 3 shows in all four different sub-division stages according to themodel of the quadrant tree. The object entered extends within the fieldof view over three resolution stages in all. The data for the area ofthe object belonging to the field of view must therefore be loaded withgreater spatial resolution in the direction of the observer.

By virtue of the fact that the data are centrally stored in sectionsonly in the accuracy required for image resolution, the number amount ofcentrally stored data depends substantially only on the desired imageresolution.

If for example one is located approximately 1,000 m above the earthsurface, the field of view has an extent of approximately 50 km×50 km.The image resolution in this case should be greater than 3,000×3,000image points. In order to show the field of view with this imageresolution a height value is required every 150 m and an image value ofa surface every 15 m. From this there arises a central storagerequirement of approximately 35.6 MBytes, in order to store all therequired information for showing the image.

If however one is located in space and has the northern hemisphere fullyin field of view, then there is required for a representation with thesame image resolution a height value every 50 km and an image value ofthe surface every 5 km. In all there arises a central storagerequirement of 39.2 MBytes, which lies in the same order of magnitude asthe storage requirement for representation of the view of the earthsurface from a height of 1,000 m in the section 50 km×50 km.

FIG. 4 shows the formation of an address of a section using the model ofa quadrant tree for sub-division of the field of view 11. In the firstsub-division of the field of view 11 into four sections 12, these areidentified clockwise with the numerals 0 to 3. If a section is furthersub-divided, the individual sub-sections 13 are numbered in the same wayand the numbers thus obtained are prefixed to the numbers of the mastersection. With a permanently identical resolution of for example 128×128points per section, the number of points of the section number is at thesame time an indication of the level of spatial precision of the data.

An advantage in this type of address formation is further that eachfurther section of the object to be represented has a fixed addresswhich to a great extent simplifies the search for the associated data.

FIG. 5 shows how a binary tree can be mixed with a quadrant tree inorder to generate an adaptive sub-division model. In the upper row ofthe squares the sub-division is shown in two slave sections 4 and 5(vertical) or 6 and 7 (horizontal). In the lower part of the drawingthere is shown a further sub-division of the section 4 into an elongateupper portion 46 and two lower portions 40 and 43. The section 33 43 isthen again sub-divided according to the model of a quadrant tree intofour slave sections. Such an adaptive sub-division model can for examplebe used in representing the earth in a two-dimensional model in theregion of the poles.

FIG. 6 shows a sub-division according to an octant tree for arepresentation based on a three-dimensional geometrical model. Here asection 14 or a space is sub-divided into eight spatial sub-sections 15.By means of the method according to the invention, consequently herealso the data of just the spatial areas are called up in a higheraccuracy, at which it is required in order to obtain the desired imageresolution. Here also the same number of points, for example 128×128×128points can be called up, transmitted and centrally stored for eachsection, so that during sub-division of a master section 14 into eightslave sections 15 an improved spatial accuracy of the data in the regionof the individual slave sections 15 results.

FIG. 7 shows a model for the use of references (so-called “hyperlinks”)on different section planes. The individual sections have references 16to the storage point both of the data of adjacent sections and also ofthe data on other topics, but with the same spatial association. In thisway, proceeding from the data of a section, data relating to theadjacent section or further data over the same section can bedetermined. In particular, the node 3 can call up the data of a sectionnext to a section known to it without having intrinsic knowledge of thestorage points of the adjacent section data. In this way the spatiallydistributed data call-up and storage systems may be expanded or updatedat will, without the central store and evaluation units taking knowledgeof the alteration during each such alteration.

FIGS. 8 to 11 show views of the earth generated by a method using aquadrant tree. The required data were called up from spatiallydistributed databases of research institutes.

FIG. 8 shows a view of cloud distribution on the earth surface asdetected by a weather satellite. A cylindrical projection was used as aform of representation. The upper edge represents the north pole and thelower edge the south pole. A two-dimensional topographic grid network ofthe earth surface was selected as a representational model. As the cloudlayer usually is at a distance from the earth surface, the clouddistribution was shown on a second layer located out-with the view ofthe earth surface. Thus there results, despite the only two-dimensionalview for an observer, a possibility close to reality of approaching theearth surface “through” the cloud layer. Data generated by satellitesurveillance systems of meteorological research institutes were used asdata sources for the actual cloud distribution existing at the time ofthe imaging.

FIG. 9 shows the same cloud distribution. Now the earth has been shownas a globe, as it would appear to an observer is in space. FIG. 10 showsa view of the same cloud distribution in connection with arepresentation of the land masses of the earth as they would appear toan observer in space. In order to show the view of the earth surface,the topographical grid network was provided with colour colorinformation from the pixel graphics of satellite images of the earthsurface. As at the time of image generation actual cloud information wasused for image generation, there was a view close to reality of theearth from space at the time of image generation.

FIG. 11 shows a view generated in this way of the American CaribbeanGulf coast, as it would have appeared to an observer looking north in anorbit close to the earth above the Caribbean Gulf of Mexico. Inaddition, the actual temperature data of selected points present intabular form were entered in display tables into the image. Thesetemperature data were called up and transmitted through the interchangenetwork from various meteorological research stations at various points.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of providing a pictorial representationof space-related data of a selectable object, the representationcorresponding to the a view of the object by an observer with aselectable location and a selectable direction of view comprising: (a)providing a plurality of spatially distributed data sources for storingspace-related data; (b) determining a field of view including the anarea of the object to be represented through the a selection of the adistance of the observer to the object and the an angle of view of theobserver to the object; (c) requesting data for the field of view fromat least one of the plurality of spatially distributed data sources; (d)centrally storing the data for the field of view; (e) representing thedata for the field of view in a pictorial representation having one ormore sections; (f) using a computer, dividing each of the one or moresections having image resolutions below a desired image resolution intoa plurality of smaller sections, requesting higher resolution spacerelated space-related data for each of the smaller sections from atleast one of the plurality of spatially distributed data sources,centrally storing the higher resolution space related space-relateddata, and representing the data for the field of view in a the pictorialrepresentation; and (g) repeating step (f), dividing the sections intosmaller sections, until every section has the desired image resolutionor no higher image resolution data is available.
 2. The method ofpictorial representation defined in claim 1, further including alteringthe selectable location and performing the steps (b) through (g).
 3. Themethod of pictorial representation defined in claim 2, further includingdetermining the data and/or the co-ordinates of the data in terms of anew co-ordinate system.
 4. The method of pictorial representationdefined in claim 1, further including altering the selectable directionof the view and performing the steps (b) through (g).
 5. The method ofpictorial representation defined in claim 4, further includingdetermining the data and/or the co-ordinates of the data in terms of anew co-ordinate system.
 6. The method of pictorial representationdefined in claim 1, wherein the step (f) further includes requestingdata of a uniform resolution for each of the smaller sections.
 7. Themethod of pictorial representation defined in claim 1, wherein the steps(c) and (f) further include requesting data not already centrally storedfrom only one of the spatially distributed data sources.
 8. The methodof pictorial representation defined in claim 1, wherein the step (f)further includes showing only the centrally stored data of each sectionwith the highest spatial density.
 9. The method of pictorialrepresentation defined in claim 1, wherein the step (f) further includeseffecting the representation of the data in an optional pre-set form ofrepresentation.
 10. The method of pictorial representation defined inclaim 1, further including removing the data of a section from thecentral store when the section passes out of the field of view due to analteration in the location or of the angle of the view.
 11. The methodof pictorial representation defined in claim 1, further includingpermanently centrally storing at least one full set of space-relateddata with a low spatial resolution.
 12. The method of pictorialrepresentation defined in claim 1, further including not showing theregions of the object located with respect to the observer behindnontransparent areas of the object.
 13. The method of pictorialrepresentation defined in claim 1, wherein the step (f) comprisesdividing each of the one or more sections using a model of the binarytree.
 14. The method of pictorial representation defined in claim 1,wherein the step (f) comprises dividing each of the one or more sectionsusing a model of the quadrant tree.
 15. The method of pictorialrepresentation defined in claim 1, wherein the step (f) comprisesdividing the sections using a model of the octant tree.
 16. The methodof pictorial representation defined in claim 1, further including usingan adaptive sub-division model with a plurality of models used next toone another for sub-dividing the field of view into smaller sections.17. The method of pictorial representation defined in claim 1, whereinthe data are present as pixel graphics and/or as vector graphics and/orin tabular form.
 18. The method of pictorial representation defined inclaim 1, wherein the object is a heavenly body.
 19. The method ofpictorial representation defined in claim 18, wherein the steps (e) and(f) further include representating representing the data with atwo-dimensional polygonal geometrical model of the topography of theobject, the spatial relationship of the data being given by theprovision of two co-ordinates on the polygonal geometrical model. 20.The method of pictorial representation defined in claim 19, whereinheight information is represented as color vertices on thetwo-dimensional polygonal geometrical model.
 21. The method of pictorialrepresentation defined in claim 19, wherein an adaptive topographicalgrid model is used, the spatial distance between two grid lines becomingsmaller as the topographical altitude becomes greater.
 22. The method ofpictorial representation defined in claim 19, wherein the step (f)further includes dividing each of the one or more sections using a modelof the quadrant tree.
 23. The method of pictorial representation definedin claim 22, wherein the step (f) further includes dividing each of theone or more sections using an adaptive sub-division model such that thesub-division merges into a binary tree at the poles.
 24. The method ofpictorial representation defined in claim 19, wherein in thetwo-dimensional polygonal grid model, spatial data are shown on aplurality of different two-dimensional layers.
 25. The method ofpictorial representation defined in claim 18, wherein the representationin the steps (e) and (f) is in the form of a globe.
 26. The method ofpictorial representation defined in claim 18, wherein the representationin the steps (e) and (f) is in the form of cartographic form ofrepresentation.
 27. The method of pictorial representation defined inclaim 1, wherein the object is the earth.
 28. The method of pictorialrepresentation defined in claim 1, wherein the steps (e) and (f) furtherinclude representing the data with a polygonal grid model.
 29. Themethod of pictorial representation defined in claim 28, wherein the step(f) comprises dividing the sections using a model of the octant tree.30. The method of pictorial representation defined in claim 1, whereinthe steps (e) and (f) further include representing the data with athree-dimensional geometrical model of the topography of the objects,the spatial relationship of the data being given by the provision ofthree co-ordinates on the geometrical model.
 31. The method of pictorialrepresentation defined in claim 1, wherein the space-related datainclude CAD models.
 32. The method of pictorial representation definedin claim 1, further including inserting animated objects into thepictorial representation.
 33. The method of pictorial representationdefined in claim 1, further including inserting display tables into thepictorial representation.
 34. The method of pictorial representationdefined in claim 1, further including inserting information and/ordirectly generated image material into the representation.
 35. Themethod of pictorial representation defined in claim 1 34, wherein thedirectly generated image material includes camera shots.
 36. The methodof pictorial representation defined in claim 1, wherein the spacerelated space-related data are provided with references to furtherspatial data.
 37. The method of pictorial representation defined inclaim 1, wherein the space related space-related data are provided withreferences to thematically adjacent data.
 38. The method of pictorialrepresentation defined in claim 1, wherein the space relatedspace-related data are provided with references to data of the same areawith another resolution.
 39. The method of pictorial representationdefined in claim 1 further including determining a probability for theregions surrounding the field of view that the regions will pass intothe field of view when there is an alteration in the location or of theangle of view of the observer.
 40. The method of pictorialrepresentation defined in claim 39 further including requesting andcentrally storing the data of the areas with the highest probability.41. The method of pictorial representation defined in claim 1, whereinthe steps (c) and (f) further include transmitting data asynchronously.42. The method of pictorial representation defined in claim 1, whereinthe steps (e) and (f) further include showing the data on a screen. 43.The method of pictorial representation defined in claim 1, wherein aplurality of computers can access the plurality of spatially distributeddata sources.
 44. The method of pictorial representation defined inclaim 43, further including altering the selectable direction of theview, performing the steps (b) through (g), and determining the dataand/or the co-ordinates of the data in terms of a new co-ordinatesystem.
 45. The method of pictorial representation defined in claim 44,wherein a pictorial representation is provided to the observer when theselectable direction of the view is altered and the steps (b) through(g) are performed.
 46. The method of pictorial representation defined inclaim 43, further including altering the selectable location of theview, performing the steps (b) through (g), and determining the dataand/or the co-ordinates of the data in terms of a new co-ordinatesystem.
 47. The method of pictorial representation defined in claim 46,wherein a pictorial representation is provided to the observer when theselectable location of the view is altered and the steps (b) through (g)are performed.
 48. The method of pictorial representation defined inclaim 43, wherein the step (c) includes requesting data for the field ofview from at least two of the plurality of spatially distributed datasources.
 49. The method of pictorial representation defined in claim 43,wherein the step (c) includes requesting data for the field of view fromat least three of the plurality of spatially distributed data sources.50. The method of pictorial representation defined in claim 43, whereinthe step (c) includes requesting data for the field of view from atleast four of the plurality of spatially distributed data sources. 51.The method of pictorial representation defined in claim 43, furtherincluding inserting directly generated image material into therepresentation, wherein the directly generated image material includesimages captured by a running camera.
 52. The method of pictorialrepresentation defined in claim 43, wherein the space-related data areprovided with references to thematically adjacent data.
 53. The methodof pictorial representation defined in claim 52, wherein the referencesare hyperlinks.
 54. The method of pictorial representation defined inclaim 43, wherein the space-related data are provided with references tofurther spatial data.
 55. The method of pictorial representation definedin claim 54, wherein the references are hyperlinks.
 56. The method ofpictorial representation defined in claim 43, wherein said at least oneof the spatially distributed data sources is located where thespace-related data is collected or processed.
 57. The method ofpictorial representation defined in claim 43, wherein the steps (e) and(f) further include representing the data with a two-dimensionalpolygonal geometrical model of the topography of the object, the spatialrelationship of the data being given by the provision of twoco-ordinates on the polygonal geometrical model, and further wherein inthe two-dimensional polygonal grid model, space-related data are shownon a plurality of different two-dimensional layers.
 58. The method ofpictorial representation defined in claim 1, wherein the step (b)includes determining the field of view using an automaticposition-fixing system.
 59. The method of pictorial representationdefined in claim 58, further including altering the selectable directionof the view, performing the steps (b) through (g), and determining thedata or the co-ordinates of the data in terms of a new co-ordinatesystem.
 60. The method of pictorial representation defined in claim 59,wherein the pictorial representation is provided to the observer whenthe selectable direction of the view is altered and the steps (b)through (g) are performed.
 61. The method of pictorial representationdefined in claim 58, further including altering the selectable locationof the view, performing the steps (b) through (g), and determining thedata or the co-ordinates of the data in terms of a new co-ordinatesystem.
 62. The method of pictorial representation defined in claim 61,wherein the pictorial representation is provided to the observer whenthe selectable location of the view is altered and the steps (b) through(g) are performed.
 63. The method of pictorial representation defined inclaim 58, wherein the step (c) includes requesting data for the field ofview from at least two of the plurality of spatially distributed datasources.
 64. The method of pictorial representation defined in claim 58,wherein the step (c) includes requesting data for the field of view fromat least three of the plurality of spatially distributed data sources.65. The method of pictorial representation defined in claim 58, whereinthe step (c) includes requesting data for the field of view from atleast four of the plurality of spatially distributed data sources. 66.The method of pictorial representation defined in claim 58, furtherincluding inserting directly generated image material into therepresentation, wherein the directly generated image material includesimages captured by a running camera.
 67. The method of pictorialrepresentation defined in claim 58, wherein the space-related data areprovided with references to thematically adjacent data.
 68. The methodof pictorial representation defined in claim 67, wherein the referencesare hyperlinks.
 69. The method of pictorial representation defined inclaim 58, wherein the space-related data are provided with references tofurther spatial data.
 70. The method of pictorial representation definedin claim 69, wherein the references are hyperlinks.
 71. The method ofpictorial representation defined in claim 58, wherein said at least oneof the spatially distributed data sources is located where thespace-related data is collected or processed.
 72. The method ofpictorial representation defined in claim 58, wherein the steps (e) and(f) further include representing the data with a two-dimensionalpolygonal geometrical model of the topography of the object, the spatialrelationship of the data being given by the provision of twoco-ordinates on the polygonal geometrical model, and further wherein inthe two-dimensional polygonal grid model, space-related data are shownon a plurality of different two-dimensional layers.
 73. The method ofpictorial representation defined in claim 1, wherein the step (c)includes requesting data for the field of view from at least two of theplurality of spatially distributed data sources.
 74. The method ofpictorial representation defined in claim 1, wherein the step (c)includes requesting data for the field of view from at least three ofthe plurality of spatially distributed data sources.
 75. The method ofpictorial representation defined in claim 1, wherein the step (c)includes requesting data for the field of view from at least four of theplurality of spatially distributed data sources.
 76. The method ofpictorial representation defined in claim 1, wherein the data arepresent as pixel graphics.
 77. The method of pictorial representationdefined in claim 1, wherein the data are present as vector graphics. 78.The method of pictorial representation defined in claim 1, wherein thedata are present in tabular form.
 79. The method of pictorialrepresentation defined in claim 1, further including insertinginformation into the representation.
 80. The method of pictorialrepresentation defined in claim 1, further including inserting directlygenerated image material into the representation.
 81. The method ofpictorial representation defined in claim 1, further including insertingdirectly generated image material into the representation, wherein thedirectly generated image material includes images captured by a runningcamera.
 82. The method of pictorial representation defined in claim 1,wherein said at least one of the spatially distributed data sources islocated where the space-related data is collected or processed.
 83. Themethod of pictorial representation defined in claim 2, further includingaltering the selectable direction of the view, performing the steps (b)through (g), and determining the data and/or the co-ordinates of thedata in terms of a new co-ordinate system.
 84. The method of pictorialrepresentation defined in claim 2, wherein a pictorial representation isprovided to the observer when the selectable location of the view isaltered and the steps (b) through (g) are performed.
 85. The method ofpictorial representation defined in claim 4, wherein a pictorialrepresentation is provided to the observer when the selectable directionof the view is altered and the steps (b) through (g) are performed.